Blue Origin to Launch New Shepard Mission

Blue Origin is set to launch its eighth human space flight, NS-26, on August 29, using the reusable New Shepard rocket. This mission will carry six crew members, including Karsen Kitchen, who will become the youngest woman to cross the Kármán line, and Rob Ferl, the first NASA-funded researcher to conduct an experiment on a commercial space flight. The flight lasts 10 to 12 minutes and will be streamed live from Blue Origin's West Texas site. Additionally, Blue Origin is targeting October 13 for the inaugural flight of its New Glenn rocket, which will carry NASA's ESCAPADE mission to Mars. This heavy-lift rocket aims to compete with SpaceX's Falcon vehicles and is designed for multiple reuses, showcasing Blue Origin's commitment to sustainable space travel. The New Glenn will also support Amazon's Project Kuiper satellite constellation for global internet connectivity.